It was our first time watching a CineConcert where the entire film is shown on a 40-foot screen playing only the original dialogue (with subtitle), with the music performed live by a symphony orchestra in sync with the movie.
It was indeed a magical experience to watch the original Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ with the musical score performed live by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gerard Salonga.
This was literally the best Ultimate Taste Test ever!
Thank you to our Lord for making the event memorable and successful. Thank you to all the purveyors, foodies, blogger friends, industry partners and sponsors for making the UTT 10th Anniversary Edition a historic success.
And the Winners of The Ultimate Taste Test 10th Anniversary Edition are…
Live an Awesome Life, Founder, Our Awesome Planet
A DECADE OF FLAVORS: Ultimate Taste Test XVII 10th Year Anniversary Text by Roxi, Photos by Carmi
Sweet, sour, salty or simply oozing with umami—the Ultimate Taste Test has been serving it for ten years. And in a 10-hour feast held last August 31, Our Awesome Planet did it again!
Dubbed as the longest-running tasting event in the country, OAP’s Ultimate Taste Test XVII may have just bagged the biggest taste event title as well as it filled up the SM Aura SMX Convention Center with 40 food entrepreneurs and ~1,000 food enthusiasts.
With so much more hunger to raise the bar, this year’s banquet included 20+ beverage purveyors from Agos Pilipinas. Agos is a community of beverage enthusiasts providing avenues for the showcase of spirit cocktail, craft beer, artisanal coffee and specialty juices.
For a first-timer attending a tasting event, this notable addition has undeniably elevated my experience! I found myself wandering the hall without a care about time as I indulged in an enthusing cycle of sampling mouth-watering food and trying out delectable drinks.
Probably one of the things I appreciated most about this gathering was that it gave equal power to food lovers—seasoned and newbies alike, to quantify their food encounters. Through an online voting system, we were equipped with voices to express our verdict. We spoke and we were heard.
This year’s The Choice Awards is special because:
• It is our 5th year anniversary in honoring Manila’s favorite restaurants, hotels, and personalities through a popular vote,
• We had the biggest response rate with 3,438 respondents to the survey last July 1-31, 2019, and
• The awarding was attended by the restaurateurs and who’s who of the food industry in Manila.
Thank you to all the people who voted and supported The Choice Awards 2019!
About The Choice Awards
We’re now in a Golden Age of Philippine Restaurants and Hotels that we’ve never experienced before.
In the first six months of this year alone, over 500 new restaurants opened … and that’s only all over Metro Manila! The construction boom in hotels and resorts all over the country is likewise accelerating at a rapid pace.
Every month, every week, and almost every day it seems, there’s a new restaurant opening its doors. There are a lot of great new dining choices, side by side with the perennials, the classics that we grew up with. As food bloggers, writers, and members of the F&B industry, we’re always very curious about the crowd favorites. The popular vote, if you will. What are the beloved favorites? Let the voice of the people be heard!Read more
Food District Signatures, curated by the Foodee group, is your everyday BGC food hall located in the basement along the 5th. Instead of establishing a high-end food hall like The Grid or Hole-in-the-Wall, they created the cheapest yummy place to eat (under ₱300/meal) in BGC.
Here’s what to expect at the first official food hall in Bonifacio Global City…
Wild Flour Italian is a BGC neighborhood corner restaurant featuring Italian comfort flavors made the Wild Flour way—quality ingredients with flavors that speak finesse. It serves curated antipasti, cocktails, pizza, pasta and desserts for a satisfying Italian night.
Here’s what to expect at Wild Flour Italian restaurant in BGC…
Wild Flour Italian Restaurant
Ground Floor, The Finance Centre, 9th Avenue corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open daily, Monday-Sunday
Lunch: 11.00 – 3.00 pm Dinner: 5.00 – 11.00 pm Telephone: +632 244-3930 (landline) Mobile: +63 917 632 9384 (mobile) Instagram: @wfitalian Website: http://www.wildflour.com.ph/
Rong Hua is the first authentic Bak Kut Teh (literally means “meat bone tea”) concept restaurant in Manila from one of Singapore’s oldest and most famous pork rib soup shops by founding grandfather Chua Ah Hua and Uncle Rong.
Brought to Manila by master franchisee Silver Lush Food Corporation, it has three branches in Singapore before expanding for the first time outside the Lion City. Finally, we now have a place to satisfy our cravings for our Singapore Bak Kut Teh favorite right here.
Here’s what to expect at Rong Hua Manila:
Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh Philippines
by Silverlush Food Corp
Unit A-102 Mckinley West Park, Taguig
Operating Hours: Open Daily 11.00 am to 11.00 pm Facebook: RongHuaPH Instagram: @ronghuaphilippines Website: https://www.ronghua.com.sg/
Canadian Beef is a high-quality, grain-fed beef brand from Canada.
Manila loves its steak and is starting to demand higher quality beef—from Japanese Wagyu to Argentinian Bolzico beef and now Northern American beef from Alberta, Canada.
Here’s everything you need to know about Canada Beef in Manila:
CANADA BEEF
Canada Beef is the cattle producer-funded and -run organization responsible for domestic and international beef and veal market development. The Canadian Beef Center of Excellence (GBCE), located in Calgary, Alberta, is the jewel in of the Canadian beef brand and one of Canada Beef’s richest resources. Website: www.canadabeef.ca Facebook: @loveCDNbeef Hashtag: #loveCDNbeef
Dani Girl is an enlightening tale of 9-year old Dani Lyons’ battle against cancer. At some point in our lives, we get a first-hand experience of cancer and how it affects our families.
The musical is about the child-like hope needed to battle against the dreaded Big C. I’ve always admired the work of non-profit organizations like Kythe here in Manila and how they are able to help kids with cancer.
Thanks to 9 Works Theatrical and Sandbox Collective for presenting Dani Girl, a relevant musical to raise awareness and empathy about Life with Cancer, again.
DANI GIRL by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond
a musical about hope
Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium
4th Floor, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave., cor. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City
Saturdays and Sundays of August until September 1 Official Hashtag: #danigirlmanila Instagram: Tag @thesandboxco
Denny’s is your neighborhood go-to-place if you just want to enjoy American comfort food—rain or shine, day or night.
I usually hang out at Denny’s Vista with Rache or with the boys because it’s always open—Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night—with good reliable food (plus free wifi and charging sockets).
Denny’s Philippines
9727 The Bistro Group, Kamagong Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City, 1203 Philippines Telephone: +63(2) 836-7141 Facebook: Denny’s Philippines Instagram: @dennysph Website: https://www.dennys.ph/
When we travel with the family, we use it as a learning experience for the kids to get to know more about the heritage and culture of the place through its food, unique attractions, and fun activities for the kids.
We visited Taiwan with the family last 2013 with our friend Meg Koh back when we only had our 3 boys Aidan, Joshua, and Raphael.
Now, we are planning to go back to Taipei with Yugi for a fun 5-day family trip. This time around, we’re DIY-ing our itinerary using Agoda travel guides.
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Sweet, sour, salty or simply oozing with umami—the Ultimate Taste Test has been serving it for ten years. And in a 10-hour feast held last August 31, Our Awesome Planet did it again!
